Laurel Lake, New Hampshire, USA

Laurel Lake, with its 180 acres of clear, sparkling waters and densely-wooded shoreline in Cheshire County, New Hampshire is a perfect spot for a peaceful getaway. In an area rich with state parks and wildlife preserves, this secluded spot offers activities throughout the year. Take your pick from fishing in the summer to snowshoeing in the winter.

Set in southern New Hampshire's Monadnock tourism region, Laurel Lake is a natural, spring-fed lake. Both real estate opportunities and lakeside vacation rentals are spread along the shoreline, making for easy access to the lake. Public boat access is located at the southern part of the lake.

Motorboats are allowed at Laurel Lake, where visitors and residents can be found speeding across the surface with wakeboarders, waterskiers and tubers following closely behind. Kayakers and canoeists slip into the water to explore the shoreline in the early morning or late evening as the sun ducks below the neighboring mountains. Skicrafts are not allowed on this lake.

For the avid angler looking to snag a prize fish, Laurel Lake will not disappoint. The lake has an average depth of 15 feet and a maximum depth of 46 feet. Anglers hook rainbow trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass, chain pickerel, hornpout, white perch and pumpkinseed.

The small town of Fitzwilliam is just northwest of Laurel Lake's shoreline, allowing for a sense of community for both locals and visitors. The town embraces the outdoors throughout every season. Avid day hikers and backcountry hikers find themselves winding through trails around the lake or up to the top of Mount Monadnock, where spectacular views are spread out before them.

Rhododendron State Park, a 2,723-acre park located nearby Laurel Lake, presents a grove of rhododendron and beautiful wildflowers from early spring to the area's first frost. Visit Pisgah State Park, west of Laurel Lake, which is the largest state park in New Hampshire with more than 13,300 acres of forests, ponds and wetlands. Camp beneath the stars and wake up to songbirds as you continue your hike during any time of the year. Winter activities range from backcountry snowshoeing to snowmobiling and cross country skiing.

Don't let Laurel Lake's small size deter you from enjoying this immensely satisfying and sparkling body of water. Learn to sail across the surface or simply splash your toes in the water while sunning atop a private dock. Your vacation destination is here at Laurel Lake.